How to Put Down Green Fertilizer
Green fertilizer, more commonly known as green manure, is any type of vegetation that gardeners grow specifically to be used to fertilize the soil. This vegetation, usually annual crops, is left to compost, after which it can be directly applied to the soil. It is an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative to store-bought chemical fertilizers. With the correct site preparation and composting techniques, you can put down green manure in your own garden. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Remove all weeds and debris from the site where you will plant the seeds that will become the green fertilizer. The area should receive some sunshine, as this will aid in the composting process, but otherwise there are no general specifications for where you should plant these seeds. Dig up the earth with a shovel if you have never planted anything in the area before.
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Scatter seeds over the prepared plot. You will need approximately 1.8 ounces of seeds for every 10 square feet. You can use whatever seeds that you want to grow, but some crops, such as grazing rye and winter field beans, are better than others because they are sown in late summer through late fall. Choosing a plant that will grow during this time frame will help prevent soil nutrients from washing away in the winter and can also give the soil structure.
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Tap the surface of the soil with the back of a garden shovel to ensure that the seeds have made contact with the soil.
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Water the plot thoroughly until the soil is moist but not flooded. Wait about eight weeks, until you see the plants are growing.
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Till the plants directly into the soil with a hand till. If you notice that the plants begin to flower before eight weeks, cut off the tops of their heads and till them into the soil. When you till the plants, you are incorporating them into the soil. Wait another month.
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Plant your garden. The green manure, which you tilled into the soil, will take about a month to fully decompose. Once it decomposes, it will be an ideal, nutrient-rich location for your vegetable or plant garden.
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References
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